This invention relates to a latch assembly for coolers, and, more particularly, to a releasing latch assembly which permits the door of the cooler to be opened from the inside and prevents reclosing of the door until the latch is moved to the unlocking position.
Any enclosure having a door which can be opened only from the outside presents a hazard, particularly to children. For example, many unfortunate accidents have occurred when children have crawled into refrigerators and the door has closed behind them. Although some safety latches have been provided for refrigerator doors which permit these doors to be opened from the inside, these latches are generally not suitable for use with smaller containers such as picnic coolers because of relative expense, size, or the like.
A safety latch should hold the door securely closed and prevent inadvertent opening thereof and should also permit the door to be opened by a relative small force applied to the inside of the door. It is also desirable to provide means for preventing the door from reclosing after the safety latch is released to permit the child to escape the enclosure without further difficulty.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,708 describes a releasing latch assembly which includes a flexible strike. The strike is secured to the handle and the lid of the cooler by screws. The lid is locked by a latch which engages the strike. However, the lid can be opened by exerting sufficient upward force on the lid to cause the strike to flex out of engagement with the latch.
Since the strike is attached by screws, the screw holes in the strike must be aligned with the screw holes in the handle and in the lid. Any misalignments can cause delay in assembling the product. More importantly, if the screw holes are not located properly with respect to the latch, the force required to open the lid will vary.